The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) after suspected thugs stormed a church in Alimosho, Lagos, attacking its members during a political gathering.

The incident happened during an event where Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour formally declared his membership of the ADC. Eyewitnesses reported that armed men believed to be APC loyalists disrupted the program, leaving several people injured, vehicles destroyed, and property seized.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the attack as both “a desecration of a place of worship” and “a new low” in what it called the APC’s ongoing pattern of political violence.

“The invasion of a church premises by government-backed political thugs is a profound act of desecration by a jittery ruling party that would stop at nothing to silence opposition voices,” the statement read.

The ADC also linked the Lagos attack to other reported incidents of intimidation and harassment in states including Edo, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna, and Kebbi, accusing the APC of running a coordinated campaign of fear.

The opposition party further recalled that a Canadian court had once labelled the APC a terrorist organisation, warning that attacks on places of worship only reinforced that perception.

“If churches and other places of worship are no longer regarded as sacred, how then does the APC prove to the world it is not indeed a terrorist organisation? Attacking places of worship is what terrorists do,” Abdullahi added.

The ADC urged the Nigeria Police Force to act swiftly, insisting that perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted to prevent further escalation.

Despite the violence, the ADC vowed not to be silenced, promising to continue engaging Nigerians peacefully but warning that it would resist any attempt to turn political gatherings into battlegrounds.

“We will remain undeterred. We are committed to engaging Nigerians peacefully and constructively. But we will not fold our arms while our leaders are attacked and our gatherings are turned into battlegrounds. This must stop now,” the party declared.